SUNDAY MERCURY WROTEJoe Smith gave Coleshill Town a dream start with two goals to sink Aylesbury. The Colemen had the better of the possession and chances at Pack Meadow before Smith pounced on 65 and 85 minutes. Coleshill had threatened in the first half but Rob Evans, Reece Leek and Ryan Edmunds fired over. Smith then added a second, meeting Leek's lay-off with a thumping right-footed strike past keeper Nick Bennion.

THE NON-LEAGUE PAPER WROTEColeshill will head into the away game at Kempston Rovers on Tuesday with a spring in their step after Joe Smith's double helped his side to a 2-0 win over Aylesbury in the Coleman's first venture into the heady heights of the Southern League. The first half was a cagey affair with both defences looking solid - the best chance coming just before the break as Aylesbury's Carl Tappin's homebound shot was saved at the foot of the post. Coleshill's Smith headed a Ryan Edmunds cross onto the bar before teammate Matt Jackson made a magnificent tackle in the box as Ryan Ware looked to shoot. The deadlock was broken on 65 minutes when Liam Molesworth's cross was scissor-kicked into the net by Smith in acrobatic style. And it got even better on 86 minutes when Smith finished off a fine move involving Edmunds and Molesworth with a grasping shot that secured the points. Matt Gardner had a tap-in in the dying seconds but visiting keeper Nick Bennion somehow kept the effort out - life at Level Four not too bad for the Colemen.

MATCH REPORTAfter last week's dumping out of the FA Cup by Racing Club Warwick nerves were jangling as to how the Colemen would handle the dizzy heights of the Southern League. Well panic over! On this showing Coleshill will do just fine! It wasn't.a startling performance but they played like a team that knew what they were doing, dug in when things weren't going totally their way, and showed that bit of class that was rewarded with the three points. Joe Smith was the Man Of The Match but the whole team performed well including League debutante George Washbourne, Matt Jackson, Josh Webb and Guy Clarke, the latter for the second time.

Neither team took control in the first half with defences well on top and chances at a premium. Joe Cole volleyed over the bar from a corner and visiting keeper Nick Bennion came off his line several times to confidently gather crossed. Reece Leek headed a Josh Webb cross over the bar and Ryan Edmunds sent a free kick from the D just over the bar. But the best chance came just before half time when Alesbury's Tappin's homebound shot was saved at the foot of the post by the diving home keeper Paul Hathaway.

Coleshill slowly started to get the better hand. Guy Clarke headed a corner over the bar then Joe Smith heard a Ryan Edmunds cross onto the bar. Reece Leek was quickly on to a long ball and with Bennion way off his line it looked a certain goal but in an effort to get to the ball first Reece's first touch took the ball out of play. The visitors were still well in the game although Town's defence looked solid. In a rare foray into Coleshill's box Ryan Ware was preparing to shoot but had the ball whipped away at the vital moment by Matt Jackson. Ryan Edmunds had a bending shot from 20 yards out well saved by Bennion and following a fine move along Coleshill's 18 yard line Ward's shot blocked by determined defending. The deadlock was broken on 65 minutes after some sustained pressure from Coleshill. Liam Molesworth's cross was acrobatically scissor-kicked into the net. Relief! Reece Leek shot wide, as did Ryan Edmunds and Matt Gardner headed wide as Town went in search of the second goal that would kill the game. Aylesbury gained a free kick on the edge of the box but only found the wall and then on 86 minutes another fine move from Coleshill involving Ryan Edmunds and Liam Molesworth found Joe Smith just inside the box and his grasping, bending shot went past the diving Bennion and into the net. Danny Tymon shot narrowly wide and a Smith cross found Matt Gardner at the far post for a tap-in but somehow Bennion got across his line to save.A fantastic start to life in Level 4 of non-league football. The action quickly continues with a visit to Kempston Rivers (Bedford) on Tuesday night and then Coleshill are at home again on Bank Holiday Monday against Corby Town.

A brace from Coleshill's Joe Smith was enough to consign the Moles to a first defeat of the season despite a competitive displayReport by Dan Legg.

The 2018-19 season curtain-raiser saw the Moles travel north to newly promoted Coleshill Town with a renewed vigour and optimism following a productive pre-season both on and off of the pitch. After an unforgiving season previously, new manager Scott Reynolds had been tasked with rebuilding the squad for a brighter future, utilising a mix of new players with experience playing in higher and lower divisions, whilst also retaining consistent performers such as Jordan Jenkins and Craig Carby.

Coleshill Town were an unknown quantity at this level, playing their first competitive game at Level 4, with the teams meeting for the first time. After a cagey start it was the hosts who looked the more dangerous in the final third. A low cross from Joe Smith could have caused issues in the penalty area, but Jordan Jenkins was on hand to clear before Rob Evans failed to test Nick Bennion in the FC net with a speculative volley from the edge of the penalty area.The Moles looked to grow into the game, with Adam Morris seemingly having all the freedom to spray passes around from midfield, however, attacking players were not quite on the same wave length and the Coleshill defence was holding firm eliminating any potential danger.Reece Leek had a half chance for the visitors midway through the first period, after Josh Webb picked him out at the back post, however, his diving header was wide of the back post. Aaron King had the Moles’ best chance of the half – quick thinking from a Carl Tappin throw in played the talisman in but scuffed his shot under pressure from two Coleshill defenders, with Paul Hathaway gathering comfortably.The Moles looked comfortable in possession but were struggling to create opportunities in the final third. Ryan Ware looked a livewire, who after being played in by Carl Tappin’s reverse ball, beat one defender before being thwarted by a second just as he looked to pull the trigger. Adam Morris delivered an inviting ball across the host’s penalty area soon after, desperate for an Aylesbury player to gamble, however, it was missed by everyone and cleared to safety. Whilst both half-chances the visitors would rue these missed opportunities.A Coleshill corner was only half dealt with, falling kindly to Ryan Edmunds on the edge of the area, whose mishit volley bounced fortunately off of the 3G surface to an unmarked Joe Smith who acrobatically converted past Nick Bennion. Soon after, the hosts doubled their lead, with Smith picking up an opening day brace – a magnificent curling effort from 20 yards to the top left-hand corner had the FC stopper beaten all ends up. The hosts had an opportunity to make it three late on, but Danny Tymon’s low driven effort was scarcely wide of the far post.